'Mahalakshmi Jaganmata' - Sankarabaranam rendition !

 

It was just another day at Thirumylai (not exactly) – evening time – Sannathi thiruvarathanam – not many people around – and there was this beautiful rendition in Nadaswaram by Thiru Mohanraj ensemble.  Purely divine, not performed for any audience, solely for  Thirumylai Sri Madhava Perumal.  :  https://youtu.be/8UjrBwbavNc

 

Think this  kriti to be : “Mahalakshmi Jaganmāta” -  popular composition  by Papanasam Sivan, in rāga Śankarabharanam and miśra cāpu tāḷa. One well-known rendition is by N. C. Vasanthakokilam, often listed simply as “Mahalakshmi – Sankarabharanam” in recordings. 

mahAlakṣmi jaganmātā

manamirangi varamaruL

anupallavi

mahā viṣṇuvin mārbenum

maṇi pīṭhamadanil amarndaruL... 

“mahālakṣmī jaganmātā manamirangi varamaruḷ” – addressing Mahalakshmi as the mother of the universe, bestower of grace. Śankarabharanam (Dhīraśankarabharanam) is the 29th melakarta rāga in Carnatic music.       Its scale corresponds to the Western major (Ionian) scale, which is why it feels very “śuddha” and expansive, suiting a māṅgalya/maṅgala goddess like Mahalakshmi.

 

•       Arohana: SR2G3M1PD2N3SSR2G3M1PD2N3S

•       Avarohana: SN3D2PM1G3R2SSN3D2PM1G3R2S

 

          Śankarabharanam is a very śānta, full-bodied rāga, foundational in Carnatic, often chosen for major deities and weighty compositions, yet capable of bhakti-laden sweetness, aptly for Mahalakshmi, whose bhāva combines śrī (prosperity), karuṇā (compassion) and jaganmāta–swaroopa   

A video taken by me on 23.7.2026  … since am sub-zero in Carnatic music, inputs searched in web with the help of ChatGPT.

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
25.7.2026